xpo
sition
CROWN
JEWELS
SMITTEN BY SPARKLE, LYNN YAEGER
EXPLORES BULGARI’S PREMIERE
RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION IN ROME
ANDY WARHOL ONCE SAID, “Calling at Bulgari’s
shop is like visiting the best exhibition of
contemporary art.” Had he lived, the prescient
artist could have in fact seen these legendary
gems in a real museum. This May, the Palazzo
delle Esposizioni in Rome will open a lavish show
of hundreds of Bulgari bibelots, beginning with
pieces dating from 1884, when the house was
founded.
If other jewelry rms are known for the delicacy
of their visions, Bulgari is synonymous with what
might be called a bold whimsy—combining
unexpected materials like steel with diamonds
and porcelain with rubies. The house was one
of the first to employ colored gemstones in
unanticipated combinations, so it’s not surprising
that a gaggle of Hollywood luminaries—ladies who
like to make a statement—have embraced the
brand. (So powerful is the Hollywood connection
that one section of the exhibit is dedicated to
“Bulgari in the Movies,” and Elizabeth Taylor’s
private holdings are so extensive they receive a
room of their own.)
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